In God Makes the Rivers to Flow; An Anthology of the World’s Sacred Poetry & Prose, Eknath Easwaran includes a selection from Saint Ignatius of Loyola entitled “Just Because You Are My God.” I’ve written the following poem-like reflections inspired by this selection.
Just Because You Are My God
Oh, my God, I want to love you
Not that I might gain eternal heaven
Nor escape eternal hell
But, Lord, to love you just because
you are my God.
—Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Loving you for what you can do for me
is not love.
I love you because loving you
is my only true joy.
The externals don’t buy me happiness.
I cannot find joy in money
though I love money.
I cannot find joy in family
though I love my family.
I cannot find joy in friends
though I love my friends.
I cannot find joy in work
though I love my work.
I love the mountains. They give me pleasure,
But they cannot bring me joy.
I love the oceans. I take pleasure in their beauty.
But they cannot bring me joy.
I love children. They give me laughter.
But they cannot bring me joy.
I love the creatures of the earth, dogs, cats,
squirrels, rabbits, otters, hedgehogs, and so many more.
But though their presence gives me a thrill,
they cannot bring me joy.
I love roses, tulips, and orchids.
They are the enlightenment of nature.
But, though I delight in their presence,
they cannot bring me joy.
I love sunshine.
But it does not bring me joy.
I love rain.
But it does not bring me joy.
I love oak trees and acorns.
But they do not bring me joy.
I love pine trees and pinecones.
But they do not bring me joy.
I love Kool-aide and popsicles.
But they do not bring me joy.
I can’t get enough strawberries and peaches,
but the feeling they give me is not joy.
I could eat an entire pan of eggplant parmesan,
but that would give me a stomachache, not joy.
The world is full of pleasures big and small,
but the joy I feel does not stem from them.
My only joy is loving you.
My only joy is loving you.
My heart overflows with joy because I love you.
And I love you just because you are my God.
